MELATONIN


Meaning of MELATONIN in English

n.

Hormone secreted by the pineal gland of most vertebrates.

It appears to be important in regulating sleeping cycles; more is produced at night, and test subjects injected with it become sleepy. Melatonin may be involved in seasonal affective disorder . In mammals other than humans, melatonin may act as a cue to breeding and mating in season.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.